Past Stories

Manga Studio 5

No More

Missed last Thursday’s explosive update? Go back one comic and get caught up!

A nod to the Road Runner cartoons when the Coyote would run into a wall or piece of sheet metal and his outline would form in the metal. Always laughed at that. Dave has been covered with his own vinyl… a suitable was to apprehend a bootlegger if there ever was one.

No, I haven’t forgotten about Bud and Nick, or the fire… more on that next week as we wrap up this storyline in time for my Christmas break.

Aerosmith’s “Toys in the Attic” is about a solid of a rock album you can find and nothing that they’ve topped since 1975.

Okay, I’m curious: Is that also an inside nod to the final panel of the first issue of the ’70s comic Werewolf By Night? Because that was the first thing that hit me when I saw that punchline. There’s a storyline there where a gorgon tries to turn werewolf Jack Russell to stone (again), but winds up looking past him into a mirror and petrifying both herself and her wheelchair-bound father. The final panel is a shot of the two of them set up in an art gallery, and the poses are remarkably similar to the freeze-frame above. Given all the ’70s inside jokes you sprinkle throughout the strip, I’m wondering if that was intention or coincidence. Either way, great stuff. Always good to see your gang in action. 🙂

By the way, thank y’all VERY much on behalf of the Arpeggio crew. We just started advertising on other webcomics, and a large portion of our traffic this past week has come from 1977 readers. Thank you Byron, and thanks to all your fans as well. 🙂

My first thought was that those were just facades of them standing, but encased is pretty funny, too. Better chip them some breathing holes before transport.

For no reason that I can think of, Lorraine is barefoot. Which, I suppose there could be a reason, but … might have been visually funny to see her walking around in panties and heels.

Still could happen. Just need a funny gag reason for Jeff to reclaim his shirt … I suspect that everyone except Lorraine will be quite entertained. Even/especially Robyn’s new friend. Curious to see if that’s a flash-in-the-pan or if something more long-term develops there.

I’m liking some of the details in these frames. The glow of the fire on everyone/everything in panel #6. But, all the light effects, halos & reflections in panels #1 through #3. Really captures some of that cop car in full flashing feel where crazy lights and reflections seem to be everywhere. The reflection in the window next to Robyn’s head in #3 must’ve been particular fun to capture.

Nitpick: the lettering on the side of the cop car doesn’t match up between panels #1 & #3. Might want to put that down in your notebook to clean up one day if/when you take this to print.

Toys in the Attic was my first Aerosmith album. Played that loud and often. First captured it onto 8-track from a radio broadcast one night in Chicago, then had the vinyl and played the grooves through to the other side. Until recently, had the remastered CD (now being enjoyed by Latvians). Still not tired of that entire album after 35 years.

Look closer at the police car… it’s a 4-door and on the back passenger door is “Lombard” and on the front passenger door is “Police”. Yes, I did wimp out and did not put the “D” in the first panel as it looked confusing sitting there. “D POLICE” though may have been a accidental joke…

Air holes are on their way to Dave and the stoner sidekick… they’ll be fine.

Lorraine and Robyn have, best I can remember, never been shown in shoes. If her dress was ruined, then Lorraine would kick off any high heel shoes. She’s a rock chick you know…

Embarrassingly, the glows (lens flares) are very easy effects in Photoshop. You can’t adjust them too much (best I can tell) so you live with how they show up, but most times they work out well.

Toys in the Attic is a favorite of mine and I own it on vinyl, reel, cassette (for the car in the old days) and now CD. I too never tire of it as it is a true great in rock album history.

Lorraine and bare feet and being a rock chick…ohh-kayyy, you just totally forced the issue: WE WANT A PINUP OF LORRAINE IN KINKY BOOTS! AND POSSIBLY NOT A LOT ELSE! WE WANTS IT, PRECIOUSSS! I’m sure I speak for many here when I say that 😀

Ah, Goldfinger and Thunderball… two films from my childhood that I remember very well… I was just discovering the joys of women in bikinis about the time these films came out (I was only like 9, but I was digging looking at Bond women… and the bra section of the Sears Catalog…)

Yes! “Toys in the Attic”; I wore out my share of 8-tracks & lp’s as well! By far their best, followed by “Rocks”. In fact, their three mid-70’s recordings: those 2 & “Get Your Wings”, was their best output as far as I’m concerned, & while I wouldn’t wish addiction on anyone, they were far better when they were all drinkin’ & druggin’! I was exposed to Aerosmith before they even released anything thanks to a guy named Chet, an independent specialty-record shop owner who was originally from the Boston area. He had a great store – no posted hours, it was open whenever he was there, be it 11AM or 11PM. He specialized in imports, indie labels, boots, colored vinyl & picture discs, and also carried great t-shirts (also boots I suspect), blacklight posters, tapestries, incense, & the obligatory “tobacco accessories” (they had to be sold under that moniker to avoid being busted for selling drug paraphernalia. Yeah, right! TONS of people were using dayglo lucite bongs to smoke their Pall Malls & Camels in…) He had connections to all of the Boston studios & clubs, & was always coming back from Boston trips with test pressings, tapes, & live club recordings of bands like J. Geils, the Cars, Boston, & even non-local bands. One day in maybe mid-’72 I go in, & he puts on a test pressing, & sez “Check these dudes out – they’re gonna be HUGE!”. Turns out it’s like 4 songs from the 1st, yet-to-be released Aerosmith LP, including “Dream On”. Knocked my Converses off then & it still does!